The pioneers of Outagamie County, Wisconsin : containing the records of the Outagamie County Pioneer Association; also a biographical and historical sketch of some of the earliest settlers of the county, and their families, their children, and grand-children, Part 4

Author: Spencer, Elihu
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Appleton, Wis. : Post Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 314


USA > Wisconsin > Outagamie County > The pioneers of Outagamie County, Wisconsin : containing the records of the Outagamie County Pioneer Association; also a biographical and historical sketch of some of the earliest settlers of the county, and their families, their children, and grand-children > Part 4


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22


Dale .- Philo Root presented an interesting historical sketch of the early history of the "state of Dale." The land known as the town of Dale was taken from the town of Hortonia about the year 1850, and is bounded on the north by Hortonia, east by Greenville, south by Clayton and Winchester, of Winnebago county, and on the west by Caledonia, of Waupaca county, and contains thirty sections beginning with section No. 6, having an area of thirty square miles. Soil-moderately productive, being inter- spersed with numerous swamps, which are mostly valuable for their timber, furnishing a large portion of the fencing on the farms between said town and Oshkosh or in fact for the largest portion of northern Winnebago county.


In the spring of 1848, Louis P. Hide and father, Thomas Doty and Alva Mccrary were the first settlers. The Hides


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locating on section 26, where Wm. Young now lives, Thomas Doty on section 25, where Elias and Andrew Rhoades now live, Mccrary on section 24, now owned by John Stein. William Young came the same spring and bought the southeast quarter of section 35, now owned by Sylvester Wolcott and John Young's widow. Mr. Wm. Young claims his the first deed in the town, being issued by James H. Polk, president of the United States.


The well known Rinehart, a minister of the gospel, came into this town in November, 1848, and held the first religious meeting in town. Pardon me for relating some of his pioneer privations that we may see the contrast be- tween then and now. He reports having had when he came here in cash the sum of ninty-five cents which he paid out for lumber to fix a shanty to live in. Having to chop and make shingles to buy corn meal for food, which was all he had for himself and wife and four children the whole of that winter with the exception of a round or strip of pork to start on. While the country was yet new and ministers scarce he did his Master's service by going some- times to preach as far away as to New London and Shioc- ton on foot. He tells of crossing the Rat river marsh when the water was nearly leg deep and a thin skim of ice over the top to fill a meeting appointment. To you my pioneer friends who have assembled here to-day, we cannot fully realize the hardships endured, except we have been placed likewise, which is not likely the case with many. The first school house built it town was located some seventy rods south of Young's corner, being made of logs and hav- ing a shade roof, being sufficiently large to accommodate thirty scholars; Mrs. H. Greenfied being the first teacher ; this being the house in which I taught my first Wisconsin school, which was in 1854. By this time the town had be- come considerably interspersed with inhabitants, mostly Germans from Ohio.


With but few exceptions the inhabitants are Americans and Germans. The probabilities are that no town has made more rapid progress under the circumstances. First- The forests were mostly of very large oaks. The stumps


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being difficult to remove. But time, patience and a goodly degree of perseverence has had its effects, inasmuch as there are but few to be seen now. Second - There is no town in the county that has had more stone to get out of the way before machinery could be used than this which is now mostly in good condition for any machinery. We have a voting .population of 260, and at the census of 1855 our population was, males 516, females 536, making a total of 1,052.


Hortonia .- This town was fortunate in being repre- sented by Mr. Mathew McComb. He said Hortonia was first settled by Alonzo E. Horton, after whom the town was named, in the latter part of the summer of 1848. Mr. Hor- ton built a log shanty for his family live in. He and a number of men commenced to build a saw mill, some of his laborers he set to work on the dam, others hewing timber for the frame for the mill, others felling the trees and clearing the site for the mill, and notwithstanding the difficulties he had in getting part of the machinery and other materials to build with, he had the mill finished and ready to saw logs, the dam built, the race and flume com- pleted on or about the first day of August, 1849. The mill was built on the stream known by the name of "Black Otter Creek."


On the thirteenth day of November, 1848, Joel Tillison, generally known by the name of "Captain," became a settler and helped to build the mill dam and dig the race, and has lived ever since in the town and is now 78 years old.


Alvin Owens became a settler on the twentieth day of November, 1848, lived about thirteen years in town, sold his farm and moved to the state of Michigan.


Henry J. Whicher became a settler early in the spring of 1849. Built a hotel in the summer of the same year, which was the first hotel in Hortonville, and known by the name of "Pinery House." Mr. Whicher sold his hotel and left the town soon after.


Luther Morton became a settler on the first day of June,


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1849. Commenced clearing his farm, a few months after- wards he sold his farm and moved from town.


James McMurdo became a settler on third day of June, 1849, and has lived ever since on his excellent farm, and being a man possessed with a spirit of perseverance and a fixed purpose to deal honestly with all men is now reaping the fruits of industry, honesty and integrity, has a full purse and a happy home.


Henry Kethroe became a settler some time in the month of June, 1849, lived a short time in town, moved to Elling- ton in the same year.


Mathew McComb and Hugh Leslie became settlers on the second day of July, 1849, they drove their team to a spot which they thought was a part of the lands of Mathew McComb and shouted "Alabama." The lived for nearly four weeks, having nothing but the canopy of heaven for their curtain, during said time there was not one shower of rain, and during that time they built a log shanty on lands which belonged to Simeon A. Shepard, but when the shanty was built the question was asked, how and with what is it to be roofed ? Being green horns and unskilled in the use of the ax, they never thought of making troughs for the roof, so they concluded to wait until Horton commenced sawing logs in the mill, which as I have already stated, was about the first of August. They lived in said shanty, in which there was neither door nor window, until about the first of September, at which time each family moved to the crude shanty, built on their farms, respectively.


O. A. Blackwood became a settler in the month of August, 1849, and lived in town until the time of his death, which was about one and a half years ago.


Mason C. Hulbert became a settler in the month of August, 1849, and was the first storekeeper in Hortonville. On the twenty-seventh day of January, 1850, he sold his store, building and goods to Briggs, Pelton & Co. for the sum of $3,000 and went to California.


Thomas Ogden became a settler in the month of August, 1849, lived in town several years. sold his farm and moved to Juda, Green county, Wisconsin. And by the way I wish


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to state that his shanty, Julius G. Nordman's shanty, and Mathew McComb's shanty were the only settlements be- tween Hortonville and Mukwa for several years, and were termed by the wayfaring man, the Irishman's, the English- man's and the Dutchman's.


John Easton became a settler in the month of October, 1849, built a hotel and entertained travelers for some time. Thomas Easton became a settler at the same time and lived a few years in town.


Norman Nash became a settler on or about the thirtieth of November, 1849, built a hotel and had it finished, neatly furnished and ready for the accommodation of travelers about the first day of August, 1850, and named it the "Hortonia House."


David Briggs, Platt Rudd, Byron Pelton and George L. Merrill became settlers on the twenty-seventh day of January, 1850, at which time they purchased the saw mill property from Alonzo E. Horton, and the store, building and goods from Mason C. Hulbert, all of whom left town at an early date except David Briggs, who still lives in the town.


Oliver Poole became a settler on the twenty eighth day of February, 1850, and still lives in the town. His house has always been an asylum for the poor, a hospital for the sick, and a home for the homeless, irrespective of nationality or color. Mrs. Poole claims to be the mother of 391 children, how many more she will claim, let some one answer ?


Moses W. Allen became a settler in March, 1850, com- menced a mercantile business and was very successful in the undertaking, was an adept in his profession. In the year 1863 he moved to Kirkwood, Il1.


J. J. Steffen and Matthias Klein became settlers in the month of May, 1850, and have lived ever since in the town.


Andrew Cornish became a settler in May, 1850. For some time he was engaged in storekeeping, but soon gave up said business, "claiming that he was called of God to preach the Gospel." During the summer of 1850 he preached five sermons, in three of which he preached the doctrine of the Trinity, in the other two he denied the


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divinity of Christ, but in one of his prayers he concluded by saying, "for Christ's sake. Amen." In one of his ser- mons he said that "the locust in the days of John the Bap- tist was as large as turkeys are in these days." For the first time in my life I learned the size of locusts in those days. At the close of his last meeting he carried away under his arm Tom Paine's work on infidelity, and the Rev. Cornish preached no more. He soon afterwards left Hortonville and it was the general belief that he had joined the Mormon church.


Ira Hersey settled in town in the fall of 1850 and lived in town until some time in the fall of 1872, when he sold his mill property and dwelling house and moved to Kansas. Mr. Hersey was loved and respected by all.


George Tiplear settled in town the latter part of June, 1852, lived twelve years in town, then moved to Winne- conne in the fall of 1863. His removal from town was a great loss and deeply felt.


Leonard Steffen settled in town May 7, 1851, and with the exception of a few years that he lived in Appleton has lived ever since in the town.


John McMurdo became a settler on the eighth day of June, 1851, and has lived ever since in the town, and for quite a number of years was elected chairman of the Town Board of Supervisors, which office he filled humbly and efficiently, and is now postmaster in Hortonville.


A. C. Briggs settled in town in the fall of 1851. Mr. Briggs built a fine hotel and lived several years in Horton- ville, sold his hotel property and moved to Clayton.


Joseph Clark, December 23, 1851, settled and lived in the town until the time of his death, which was about five weeks ago.


Isaac Leach and sons became settlers on the twenty- third day of December, 1851.


W. W. Briggs and H. B. Sanborn settled in town on the first day of October, 1852. They built an excellent flour- ing mill, which at that time was not excelled by any other in the county. By the building of said mill they added more to the comfort and welfare of the settlers than all the


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settlers who had preceded them. Mr. H. B. Sanborn still lives in town, and Mr. Briggs has sold his interest in the mill several years ago and moved to Appleton.


Jacob Steffen and sons became settlers on the sixteenth day of October, 1852. He lived in town during his life and died a few years ago, being old and full of days, and was buried in the center of the Roman Catholic cemetery, on his own farm. Mr. Steffen was loved and respected by all who knew him.


Stephen A. Thompson settled in town on the fifteenth day of November, 1852, and has also lived in the town ever since.


There are many others whose names should be mentioned but time and space will not permit. The first town meet- ing was held at the store building formerly occupied by Mason C. Hulbert on the first Tuesday in April, 1850. Norman Nash was chosen chairman, Byron Pelton and Oliver Poole were chosen inspectors, and George L. Mer- rill was chosen clerk, and having no statutes or forms to guide them, and all being young and inexperienced in town business, they adopted the following oath for the inspectors and clerk of said meeting, not because they wished to take the name of God in vain, but they considered it to be in a business-like manner. The following is the oath, viz .: You swear by God that you will support the constitution of the United States and this state, and that you will conduct this meeting to the best of your ability, so help you God. Oliver Poole administered the above oath to the chairman and the chairman to the two inspectors and clerk.


The following officers were elected at said meeting : J. Wakefield, chairman; Norman Nash and Byron Pelton, assistant supervisors ; Byron Pelton, clerk ; Benjamin Wil- liams, treasurer; Wm. Benedict, assessor ; J. Wakefield, town superintendent ; John Easton, J. Wakefield and Wm. Benedict, justices of the peace ; Lewis Hyde and Thomas Easton, constables. J. Wakefield resigned his office as chairman and Norman Nash was elected chairman of the town board of supervisors in the place of J. Wakefield. No bonds were required from any of the town officers. . No


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records of the town meeting or meetings of the board were preserved. The whole number of votes cast at said meet- ing was seventeen.


The first grist mill in town was one purchased by David Briggs & Co., from Mr. Howe, of Greenville, for the sum of ten dollars. Said mill was about the size of a modern corn sheller, and a one man power, having the capacity of grind- ing five bushels of corn per day. The first school house was built in the summer of 1850; the first church was built in the year 1859; the first flouring mill was built in the year 1856 ; the first blacksmith shop was built in the year 1848; the first barrel of whisky sold by retail by Capt. Tillison in 1849; the first preacher was Andrew Cornish in 1849 ; the first school teacher was Emma B. Leach in 1850; the first pettifoggers in court were John Easton and David Briggs in 1850; Norman Nash was the first chairman of the town board of supervisors in 1850.


The first marriage was contracted between John Hewitt and Susan A. Sheldon, at the shanty of Mathew McComb, by John Easton, justice of the peace, in the month of April, 1850. The bridegroom and bride built a raft of float wood on the north side of the Wolf river, got on board and crossed the river, but soon learned that they could not float among the trees and willows. Not willing to return to the camp unmarried they concluded to tie the raft to a tree, they then joined hands and plunged in the water which was about two and one-half feet deep and waded forty rods or more before they reached dry land, about one hundred rods distant from my shanty. After the marriage ceremony was consummated he took his wife by the hand and said, "let us go home," and they started off on the same route they came. Merry waters did not quench their love, neither did the floods drown it.


The first birth in town was the daughter of Thomas and Lucinda Easton, who was born in the month of March, 1850. The first death was Sarah A., daughter of Norman and Matilda Nash, who died Sept. 22, 1850.


The foregoing is a brief history of the early settlement of Hortonia.


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Buchanan .- The following sketch was presented by Wm. Lamure : Joseph Lamure and family, consisting of Mary, Josephine, William and Charles Lamure, and his adopted son Amable Aslin, settled in Buchanan July 10, 1839, the settlement consisting of four families-B. H. Beaulieu, Mons. Rentier, Raphael St. Mary, and Roland Garner. The next comers were Germans. They landed at Garner's landing Oct. 9, 1842, consisting of ten families, including three young men. John J. Dietzler and family, Peter Deatrick and family, Jacob Pauly and family, Michael Kline and family, John P. Hintze and family, P. H. Rausch and family, J. P. Schumaker and family, - Frevel and family, John Kloepel and family, Anton Heuser and family, Mathias Kline, John Snyder and Jacob Snyder.


The town of Buchanan was set off from the town of Kaukauna Feb. 12, 1858. The first town meeting was held April 2,, 1858. Town officers elected : B. H. Beaulieu, chairman; Wm. Lamure and John J. Dietzler, supervisors; Morris Ringrow, clerk; Peter Radmaker, treasurer; B. H. Beaulieu, Michael Kline and John Cabensen, assessors; John Hunt, Wm. Lamure, Daniel Cline and John Cabensen, Justices of the Peace; Peter Kline, constable. Total vote was 32.


Ellington .- The town of Ellington was originally composed of its present territory, together with what are now the towns of Bovina and Maine. It was organized in 1850. The first land purchased of the government was by F. Gilbert and L. Thompson, on section 20, in the year 1841, while Outagamie was yet a part of Brown county. These gentlemen shortly afterwards built a dam across Bear Creek, about three miles from Wolf river at which point they also erected a saw mill. This was subsequently operated by Wm. Bruce and G. D. Aldrich, until the sum- mer 1849.


The first frame building was put up by Mr. Bruce in 1849. The first white family that settled in the town was that of Lewis Thompson, at a point that was known as Bruce's mills up to 1850. Thos. Callan was the first white


4


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man who settled in Ellington for the purpose of engaging in farming. This was in 1847. In 1848 and 1849 came Geo. Huse, Henry Kethroe, James Hardacker, Owen Hardy, Wm. McGee, P. H. Pew and Thomas Hillins. In 1850 came Abel Greeley, Amos Johnson, Julius Greeley, H. J. Diener and Eliab Farnham.


In the early days the settlers obtained their supplies at Green Bay, hauling them a distance of thirty-six miles. The first mail route was established through the town in 1851 from Green Bay to Stevens Point. John P. Rynders christened the town -bestowing upon it the name of his native town in New York. The first store was established in 1850, by J. D. Van Vleck; the first hotel in 1856, by P. H. Pew. The first town meeting was held at the old Block House in 1850, at which the following officers were elected: Supervisors, John H. Rynders, chairman, James Hardacker and Geo. Huse; clerk, Henry Smith; sealer of weights and measures, Geo. Huse; town superintendent, Geo. Huse; justices of the peace, James Hardacker, Thos. Hillson, Geo. Huse and John R. Rynders; constable, Frederick La- man; assessors, John R. Rynders and Geo. Huse; treasurer, John R. Rynders. Each one received seven votes.


The first school was established in 1852; the first birth and the first death occurred in 1851. In 1856 John Stephens purchased the mill property and laid out the village which bears his name. The paper from which we glean the above facts was prepared by Ansel Greeley.


Center .- John McGillan presented some interesting facts relative to the early settlement of Center. David Barry and brother were the first inhabitants of Center, settling there in 1849, on section 27. Peter Hephner and family settled the same year on the same section. The first yoke of cattle was brought to the town by Mr. Hephner which he purchased from Jake Cornelius in the Oneida settlement. John Batley came to Center in 1850 and located on section 11. He was the first white man that occupied the north part of the town. James Cotter settled the same year on section 14. John Leith next arrived and


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located on section 26. The first death in the town was that of a child of Mr. Leith. Francis McGillan and family settled in Center in 1851, on section 35. William Byrnes came in 1851 and located on section 13. Patrick Cannon arrived about the same time and settled on section 25. The first school meeting in the town was held at the house of Peter Hephner in 1851. The officers elected were: Peter Hephner, treasurer; N. M. Hephner, clerk; Wm. Byrnes, director. The number of votes cast was seven. Mrs. Leith was the first teacher and taught three months for $25. The school was conducted at her house. The first school house was soon after built, the total cost of which was $40. In this building the first town meeting was held.


Kaukauna .- Mr. E. St. Louis, the representative of Kaukauna, said in substance: In reply to your invitation the following is respectfully submitted to the Pioneer Association of Outagamie County. I landed at Green Bay October 26, A. D. 1836. From reports and information obtained there, I concluded at once to move further up on Fox river. I bought a canoe, trusted all my property, family and all, in one cargo. With so much freight, the river was then very difficult to ascend and in about four days I landed at the place where I have ever since lived, then called Petite Chute.


The general aspect of the stream was then very beauti- ful indeed; the waters now rushing over hedges and stones forming rapids and chutes, next becoming quiet and placid, in seeming sadness to leave its pleasant shady banks; the whole valley and surrounding country proved one dense forest and unbroken wilds. I first put up a temporary dwelling and claimed a quarter section on Fox river at Kaukalin or Kaukauna. I found the following settlers, their chief business was trading with the Indians: Charles A. Grignon, Paul Ducharm, Jacque Paullier and Paul Beaulieu. In Little Chute the Rev. T. J. Van Den Broek had lived with and taught a large number of Menominee Indians for four years. His improvements then were a log church, bark covered, built by said Indians,


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To work a farm then was very toilsome and slow work, the farms were small and unopened, and to remember the tools which we had to use then and which we now use; first compare the sickle with the best improved reaper, take the wooden fan, the old flail, etc., and then subtract the difference.


The waters teemed with life, the river then was unob- structed by dams, etc., and all kinds of fish had free access from lake to river and river to lake again. I may here add that the abundance of fish in the river then, and the various plenty of game in the adjoining valley or woods, were valuable substitutes to the pioneer farmers in early days.


Tomitah was the chief of the Menominee Indians and held his residence by turns at that place where the city of Appleton is since built. Reports spread that a murder was committed by the Indians on the person of a white man, a minister of the gospel, a stranger, a young man, etc. The day following I was summoned or ordered as one of the jurors to hold the inquest, we held the inquest with four jurors, all that possibly could be put together. We found the body fearfully mangled, the heart taken out and other marks of cruelty committed. We gave the unhappy stranger a distant burial and parted. Tomitah had three .Indians arrested and delivered them to the proper authori- ties at Green Bay. Soon one of their number on promise to be set free, confessed the whole crime, was however returned to jail and stabbed to death by his enraged com- rades the same night. Afterwards the remaining criminals ended their lives by strangling themselves with their blankets. In general were the Menominees a quiet and peaceable race, and many among them were converted to Christianity by the missionaries. They held strict rules to protect game; hunting was not allowed except on certain days appointed by their chief, and trespasses on such orders were severely punished.


In 1836 during my first year's staying here the small pox spread among the poor Indians and so many died that I have witnessed six funerals in one day. When badly .


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infected with the disease they increased their suffering to a great extent by the practice of bathing in the river.


In former years many mounds of different forms and sizes - were found at the Kaukauna flats and if we may trust the Indian legends or traditions, were the graves of mighty hosts. Here one of the greatest, most fearful battles was fought by their heroic fathers.


The first school house was built about the year 1844, near the new church grounds in Little Chute. The build- ing was put up by the settlers, and teacher's wages and board paid by the missionary. The settlers, few in number, could not meet the expenses, said school was attended by five or six scholars.


I cut a road all alone from Little Chute through the site of Appleton to the landing. About the year 1840, when the settlements round Lake Winnebago began to grow, and demand for store goods, provisions, etc., began to increase, and finding that something could be made with my ox team and cart, I chopped all alone a road from Little Chute to the Grand Chute, then I was my own supervisor, pathmaster, etc., and had no bridge fund on hand either.


In 1848 a number of emigrants arrived here from Holland with T. J. Van Den Broek who had visited said country. They have proved to be industrious farmers, and besides others, have, during their stay here, opened the largest clearing of farms in the lower Fox river valley.




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